Suction cleaner



1934- H. E. HOOVER 1,971,040

I SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 29, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet' l INVENTOR 1701mm Earl 1700??! I I 3% ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1934. H E, HOOVER I 1,971,040

SUGTION CLEANER Filed June 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 13 ,2 4 1- l n i: m A mm.

INVENTOR fiaward Earl 1790067 ATTO RN EY Patented Aug. 21, 1934 SUCTION CLEANER Howard Earl Hoover, Glencoe, Ill., assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, .Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application June 29, 1933, Serial No. 678,147

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners generally and particularly to a new and improved agitator for a suction cleaner. More specifically the invention'comprises a simple, economically manufactured, positive beating agitator of the rotary type adapted for use in a suction cleaner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and simplified rotary agitator construction. It is a further object to provide, in a suction cleaner, a simple rotary agitator comprising a sheet metal body which is shaped to provide a rigid beater element and a seat for a surface-contacting brush which cooperates with the beater element. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims, and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

In the drawings, in which the same reference characters relate to the same parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with certain parts broken away, of a modern suction cleaner with an agitator constructed in accordance with the present embodiment incorporated therein;

Figure 2 is a section upon the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section through the agitator upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken upon the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section upon the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a section through the cleaner nozzle showing the agitator-supporting means, being taken upon the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a section upon the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a section upon the line 9-9 of Figure '7;

Figure 10 is a section upon the line 10--10 of Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a side elevation oi a third embodiment of the present invention with certain parts broken away;

Figure 12 is a partial section through the agitator shown in Figure 11, being taken upon the line 1212 of that figure;

Figure 13 is a section upon Figure 11; I

Figure 14 is a section upon the line 1414 of Figure 11;

Figure 15 is a section upon the line 15-15 of Figure 11;

Figure 16 is a section upon the line 15-16 of Figure 11.

In the drawings, and in Figures 1 to 6 in particular, one embodiment of the present invention the line 1313 of is shown incorporated in a modern suction cleaner. The cleaner includes a nozzle 1, having surface-contacting lips 2 and 3, which is interiorly connected through the air passageway i to the fan chamber 5. A motor casing 6, positioned immediately above the fan chamber 5, houses an unshown driving motor, the shaft 7 of which extends downwardly through the fan chamber 5 where it carries the suction-creating fan 8. In the operation of the machine fan 8 draws cleaning air through the nozzle 1 and exhaustsit through the outlet 9 into the removably secured dust bag 10. The cleaner is movably supported upon front and rear supporting wheels 11 and 12, a pivoted handle 13 being provided by which the operator can propel the machine.

Within the nozzle 1 is removably positioned the rotary agitator constructed in accordance with the present invention. The agitator comprises alongitudinally extending supporting shaft 14 the ends of which are rotatably supported in bearings 15, 15 removably secured in seats 16. 16 carried by the nozzle end walls. The shaft 14 extends the entire length of the agitator and is provided substantially midway thereof with a pulley member 1'7 which may be molded thereon, or may be secured thereto in any suitable manner. Pulley 17 is formed with a grooved surface which seats a belt 18 which extends from the agitator to the driving pulley 19 at the lower end of the motor shaft 7.

Each heating element 20 of the agitator is formed by doubling or rolling back upon itself the side of a sheet metal plate 21 which extends from the driving pulley substantially to the supporting hearing at the end of the agitator shaft, there being a plate on each side of the said pulley. Plate 21 encircles the shaft 14 through an angle of substantially 270 degrees and is fixedly and permanently secured thereto by rivets 22, 22. The side of each plate opposite the side forming beater element is shaped to form a channel 23 which extends parallel to the shaft 14 with its bottom positioned considerably below that shaft. Channel 23 serves as a seat forbrush 24 the rigid back of which is removably secured within the channel by means of screws 25, 25. The construction is one of utmost simplicity involving as it does a single sheet metal member as the agitator body which is so shaped and deformed as to provide both a longitudinally extending beater element and a seat for a removable brush. As clearly seen in Figure 2 the beater elements upon the opposite sides of the pulley are spaced 180 degrees circumferentially, as are the brushes.

Referring now to Figures 7 to 10, inclusive, a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. In this embodiment the brush-supporting shaft 30 extends longitudinally for the complete length of the agitator and is shown removed from its supporting bearings which may be of a type identical to that shown in the first embodiment. A belt-receiving pul- 5 ley 31 is provided in substantially the longitudinal center of the agitator and upon each side thereof, and extending therefrom substantially to the ends of the shafts, are again found the plate members, here indicated by the reference character 32.- In this embodiment, however, each plate encircles the supporting shaft along one of its edges, extending therefrom directly to a point which is radially outside of the periphery of the pulley 31 where it curves back upon itself to form the beater element 33. As distinguished from the first embodiment, however, the beater elementis not at the boundary of the plate, which, instead, extends back along the main part. The returning part of the plate is, at a point below the shaft, deflected as a shoulder which extends at right angles to the main part of the body, and then again parallel thereto, for the purpose of forming a channel or brush seat 34. The removable brush 35 has its rigid back secured in this channel 34 by screws 36, 36 which, though extending completely through the channel and both sides thereof, not only secures the brush in place but also the sides of the channel relative to each other to provide a rigid construction. As in the first embodiment, "the plate is secured to the shaft by one or more rivets, indicated by the reference character 3'7.

Referring now to Figures 11 to 16, inclusive, a third preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in which no longitudinal, through supporting agitator shaft is incorporated. According to this embodiment of the invention the agitator body comprises, at each side of the pulley 40, a plate 41, one side of which is doubled back on itself to form a beater element 42, as in the first embodiment. The opposite side of the plate is formed into a channel positioned substantially in the axis of rotation, being formed by two right angles bends in the sheet metal and then doubling both bends back so that the channel formed thereby extends at the side of the main body of the sheet metal and substantially in the axis of rotation. The channel 43 serves as a brush receiving seat and in it the rigid back of the brush 44 is removably secured by screws 46, 46. In the present embodiment the body upon the opposite sides of the pulley i0 is shown as formed of a single elongated plate connected through the pulley 40 by an offset portion 47. Pulley 40 may be secured either by molding it about the portion 47 or by any suitable method. As in the previous embodiments it is to be noted that the brush and beater ele- ?0 prising a longitudinal supporting shaft, a pulley positioned between the ends of said shaft and rotatable therewith, and a sheet metal plate having a longitudinally extending side thereof rolled back upon itself at a point radially outside the circumference of said pulley to form a beater element, the opposite side of said plate being channelled to form a brush seat, a brush movably seated in said seatand extending radially beyond said pulley, said plate being fixedly secured to said shaft.

2. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner including a sheet metal plate having a rolled side and a channelled side extending parallel thereto, a brush positioned in said channel, means supporting said plate and brush for rotation with said rolled side and the brush end at substantially equal distances from the axis of rotation, and a pulley to receive a rotating torque for said plate and brush.

3. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner including a sheet metal plate having a rolled side and a channelled side extending parallel thereto, a longitudinally extending supporting shaft, said plate partially encircling said shaft between said sides and fixedly secured thereto and adapted to rotate therewith, a pulley carried by said shaft, and a brush removably secured in said channel and extended radially from the axis of rotation a distance substantially equal to the rolled side.

4. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner in'- cluding a sheet metal plate folded back upon itself to form a beater element and channelled to form a brush seat spaced therefrom, a detachable brush secured in said seat, means rotatably supporting said plate and brush for rotation about an axis substantially equidistant radially from the end of said brush. and said beater element, and a driving pulley having a rigid connection with the plate and having its axis of rotation. coincident with the axis of rotation of the plate and brush.

5. A rotary agitator for a [suction cleaner including a, longitudinally extending supporting shaft, bearings rotatably supporting said shaft,

a sheet metal plate partially encircling said shaft and fixedly secured thereto, said plate extending to a. point radially spaced from said shaft and folded back upon itself to form a beater element, the side of said plate being formed with reversed shoulders which cooperate with the portion of said plate between said shaft and said beater element to form a brush seat, a brush removably secured in said seat, and a pulley carried by said shaft.

6. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner including a longitudinally extending supporting shaft, a sheet metal strip overlying said shaft and secured thereto, said plate extending radially from said shaft and rolled back upon itself at a point spaced therefrom to form a beater element, said plate upon the opposite side of said shaft from said beater element being shaped to form a channel opening away from said beater element, a brush in said channel extending-a distance radially beyond said shaft equal to said 135 beater element, and a pulley carried by said shaft.

'1. A rotary agitator for a suction cleaner including a pulley, a sheet metal plate at each side of said pulley, one side of each plate extending along the axis of rotation of said agitator at a fixed radial distance therefrom being rolled back upon itself to form a beater element, the opposite side of said platebeing folded back upon itself and again folded to form a channel substantially in the axis of rotation, a brush seated in'said channel and extending radially therefrom, and supporting means carried by the ends of said plates spaced from said pulley.

aowaan man HOOVER. 

